Атлант расправил плечи
The Sanction of the Victim
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"It’snotfortheirsystem,butforcustomerswhomIcan’tabandontothemercyoftheirsystem—Iintendtooutlastthatsystemoftheirs—Idon’tintendtoletthemstopme,nomatterhowhardtheymakeitforme—andIdon’tintendtogiveuptheworldtothem,evenifIamthelastmanleft.Rightnow,thatillegalorderismoreimportanttomethanthewholeofmymills."
Franciscoshookhisheadslowlyanddidnotanswer;thenheasked,"Towhichoneofyourfriendsinthecopperindustryareyougoingtogivethevaluableprivilegeofinformingonyouthistime?"
Reardensmiled."Notthistime.Thistime,I’mdealingwithamanIcantrust."
"Really?Whoisit?"
"You."
Franciscosatupstraight."What?"heasked,hisvoicesolowthathealmostsucceededinhidingthesoundofagasp.
Reardenwassmiling."Youdidn’tknowthatI’moneofyourcustomersnow?Itwasdonethroughacoupleofstoogesandunderaphonyname—butI’llneedyourhelptopreventanyoneonyourstafffrombecominginquisitiveaboutit.Ineedthatcopper,Ineeditontime—andIdon’tcareiftheyarrestmelater,solongasIgetthisthrough.Iknowthatyou’velostallconcernforyourcompany,yourwealth,yourwork,becauseyoudon’tcaretodealwithlooterslikeTaggartandBoyle.
